ROAST CHICKEN WITH RHUBARB BUTTER AND ASPARAGUS

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Roast Chicken with Rhubarb Butter and Asparagus image

Talk about a spring chicken. The sour-sweet rhubarb butter seasons and bastes the meat as the bird roasts.

Provided by Maranda Engelbrecht

Categories     Chicken     Roast     Low Fat     Kid-Friendly     Dinner     Lemon     Asparagus     Healthy     Low Cholesterol     Rhubarb     Bon Appétit     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Small Plates

Yield 4 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 large rhubarb stalk, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 (3 1/2-4-pounds) chicken, backbone removed, chicken patted dry
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2 lemons, halved

Steps:

  • Bring rhubarb, orange juice, honey, and ginger to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is soft but not falling apart, about 5 minutes. Drain over a small bowl. Reserve cooking liquid and rhubarb separately; let cool.
  • Mix rhubarb and butter in a small bowl until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Set aside 1 tablespoon rhubarb butter for vegetables.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Gently slide your fingers underneath skin to loosen and rub flesh all over with remaining rhubarb butter (try not to tear skin). Drizzle chicken with 1 tablespoon oil and some of the reserved rhubarb cooking liquid, scatter thyme over, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Roast chicken until skin is browned and crisp and meat is cooked through (juices will run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should register 165°F), 40-50 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare grill for mediumhigh heat (or heat a grill pan over medium-high). Toss asparagus in a large bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill asparagus and lemons (cut side down), turning asparagus often, until stalks are just tender, 2-3 minutes. Let lemon halves cool.
  • Toss asparagus with reserved rhubarb butter. Serve chicken and asparagus with any pan juices drizzled over with grilled lemons for squeezing over.

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